Virus transcription

[Lyle Najita]

>I have some thoughts about this, to which I will reply within a day or
two.  To tantalize the subject I'd >like to point out that when the
infectious cDNA of coxsackievirus B3 was transfected it lacked two 5'
>uridine residues, which were regained during plus-strand synthesis Klump
et al. PNAS, 1573-1583, >1990.  Thus, this may not be specific, but
essential. 
 
Dan, 
 
The retention of the 5' uridines could be due to VpGpUpU priming, if you
will indulge those of us willing to believe that it is more than an
artifact.  I'm not partial to either host factor priming or VpGpUpU
priming, but would like to believe that host factor works at the 3' end of
the plus-strand and the VpGpUpU at the 3' end of the minus-strand. 
 
 >How do the secondary structures of globin and  
>enteroviruses compare, i.e. t-RNA like motifs?  There are completely
conserved 1' sequences as >well as numerous secondary structures in the 5'
end of all enteroviruses.  Is the transcritional (non-) >specificity (???)
in the 5' uridines or in the first ~100 nt sequence?  My bet, the secondary
structures.  
 
Have not really looked at globin RNA secondary structure but don't remember
it being particular structured like the 3' ends of enteroviral RNAs.
Particularly interesting, with regard to secondary structure, is a single
base change in polio2 that would only affect secondary structure in the
minus-strand RNA and exhibits delayed replication (LaMonica and
Racaniello). 
 
 
>As far as compartmentalization, we have some awesome in situ
hybridizations demonstrating >punctate intracellular localization, on
membranes or CPE and vacuoles.  
 
Would love to "chat" with you about this. I'm available by e-mail
(najital at rockvax.rockefeller.edu) or on biomoo (ijiwaru). Would love to see
your data. 
 
L